2017 Jobar offensive
|date= 20 June – 14 August 2017 ( ) |place = Syria * Jobar, Damascus Governorate * Ein Tarma, Rif Dimashq Governorate |result= Offensive stalled; Limited Army gains * Syrian Army attack on Jobar repelled by the rebels. |combatant1= |combatant2= Al-Rahman Legion |commander1=Unknown |commander2= Captain Abdul Nasr Shamir (al-Rahman Legion commander-in-chief) Abu Saeed al-Basha (al-Rahman Legion commander) |units1= Syrian Army * Republican Guard **105th Brigade **106th Brigade * 4th Armoured Division Ministry of Interior *Syrian Special Mission Forces *C.T.U of General Security Directorate Syrian Air Force |units2= Al-Rahman Legion |strength1= |strength2= |casualties1= Unknown |casualties2=400 killed (per SAA)400 rebels killed by the Syrian Army during east Damascus offensive |casualties3=50 civilians killed | campaignbox = }} The 2017 Jobar offensive was a military operation launched by the Syrian Arab Army and allies against rebel positions in the eastern outskirts of Damascus city, mainly the neighbourhood of Jobar and Ayn Tarma. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-10-15|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en-US}} Background Jobar has remained the last stronghold of rebels in east Damascus city since the SAA restored full control over the Qaboun and Barzeh districts earlier in May 2017. From 14 to 18 June 2017, the Syrian Arab Air Force launched dozens of air and artillery strikes in Jobar to prepare for the offensive. The offensive On 20 June, Syrian government forces launched a major military operation in the Jobar suburb in eastern Damascus, in a bid to capture this long-standing rebel stronghold. Prior to the ground attack, the Russian Air Force alongside with the Syrian Arab Air Force targeted rebel positions in Jobar, Ayn Tarma and Zamalka with heavy bombardment that was ongoing since pre-dawn hours. On 21 June, the military reportedly made advances in both Jobar and the Ain Terma area. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-06-22|language=en-US}} The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported reported local activist claims of a chemical attack on northern Jobar on 22 June.The Syrian Regime Has Used Chemical Weapons Five Times after Khan Sheikhoun Incident, SN4HR, 14 August 2017 On 24 June, the Syrian Army captured the Ayn Tarma valley from the al-Rahman Legion, in addition to the southern parts of Ayn Tarma town. A rebel counter-attack was repelled on 26 June. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-06-26|language=en-US}} On 28 June, Syrian Army advanced inside Ayn Tarma, securing areas near Sunbul Fuel Station and Ayn Tarma Garage, while in Jobar they captured some points in Taybah district near the Great Mosque. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-06-28|language=en-US}} On 29 June, the Syrian Army was in control of almost all buildings near the Sunbul Fuel Station and also captured the Ayn Tarma Junction, imperiling the main rebel supply route to Jobar. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-06-29|language=en-US}} On 2 July, the 105th Brigade of the Republican Guard captured around 15 building blocks east of the M5 highway, and later captured most of Ayn Tarma's southern quarters. The al-Rahman Legion and the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported said that Ayn Tarma came under a chlorine gas attack; The Syrian Regime Has Used Chemical Weapons Five Times after Khan Sheikhoun Incident, SN4HR, 14 August 2017 the Syrian Army stated that this was just vindication the rebel group was using to justify its recent losses. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-02|language=en-US}} المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-03|language=en-US}} المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-03|language=en-US}} On 5 July, Syrian Army operations resumed on Jobar and Ayn Tarma with the Army capturing a number of points in the Taybah area of the former and most of Ayn Tarma Triangle was captured in the latter. Concurrently, Jaysh al-Islam took advantage of the situation storming the towns of Beit Sawa and Al-Ashari. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-06|language=en-US}} المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-06|language=en-US}} Four days later, the Army reached the center of Ayn Tarma Triangle and began pushing northwards. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-07-09|language=en-US}} Government airstrikes continued through mid-July on Ayn Tarma, Hazzah and Zamalka as part of the offensive on Jobar, with many casualties.Increased airstrikes in east Damascus towns amid battle for rebel-held district, Syria Direct, 17 July 2017 On 22 July, a ceasefire was brokered in East Ghouta by Egypt, Russia, Jaysh al-Islam, and Syria's Tomorrow Movement. However, the Rahman Legion and Tahrir al-Sham were excluded from the ceasefire. The next day, Ayn Tarma, as well as Harasta, Arbeen and Douma, were hit by several airstrikes. Despite cease-fire, shelling continues in Eastern Ghouta, Al-Monitor, 7 August 2017 More clashes between the Rahman Legion and the Syrian Army erupted overnight between 25 and 26 July. On 8 August, fighting intensified in Ayn Tarma and other districts in eastern Damascus. The Rahman Legion targeted several Syrian Army vehicles at the front. By 9 August, dozens of artillery and air strikes hit rebel positions in the district. It was reported on 12 August that the SAA made advances at the al-Manasher Roundabout and the Arab Neighborhood of Jobar. However, the next day, a rebel tunnel bomb blast killed between 16 and 20 soldiers in the Jobar district.The Latest: Rebels fighting for Damascus suburbs kill 20, Washington Post Still, the Syrian Army made further progress on 14 August, as they pushed further southwards from al-Manasher Roundabout, capturing several building blocks east of Jobar Sports Hall. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-08-14|language=en-US}} Aftermath – Continued fighting Syrian government forces continued to bomb towns and villages in Eastern Ghouta in Rif Dimashq throughout late August and early September, along with ground operations around Jobar and Ayn Tarma, directed at ceasefire signatory al-Rahman Legion and other rebel groups.Tamer Osman Russian-backed cease-fire fails to stop shelling in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, Al-Monitor, September 20, 2017 On 25 September 2017, the Syrian Army, led by the Republican Guard and the 4th Armoured Division, reported it had broken through rebel frontlines along the Jobar-Ayn Tarma axis, resulting in the capture of 30 building blocks, some of which government sources said were demolished by the rebels to thwart further army gains. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-09-25|language=en-US}} SOHR reported heavy shelling of built-up areas in Jobar on 26 September.Regime forces shell Jobar and target the Eastern Ghouta with renewed clashes east of the capital Damascus, SOHR, 26/09/2017 Rahman Legion fighters were killed and injured after a pre-planned artillery strike hit them as they were maneuvering across an open road near the frontline in Ayn Tarma on 27 September. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-09-29|language=en-US}} The next day, an underground tunnel complex was detonated by the Rahman Legion, resulting in massive devastation across the entire western part of Ayn Tarma and the deaths of 45 Syrian Army soldiers with dozens more injured. المصدر نيوز|access-date=2017-09-29|language=en-US}} Afterwards there has been a de-escalation of the fighting, until 15 October, when rebel fighters shelled the Old City of Damascus, killing four and injuring nine people, Syrian Air Force has responded with airstrikes on Misraba, Saqba and Ayn Tarma. See also *Qaboun offensive (2017) References Further reading * Abby Sewell "Just outside Syria's capital, a battle still rages over one of the last rebel-held enclaves" Los Angeles Times 31 August 2017 Category:Battles of the Syrian Civil War Category:Damascus Governorate in the Syrian Civil War Category:Military operations of the Syrian Civil War in 2017 Category:Conflicts in 2017 Category:Military operations of the Syrian Civil War involving the Syrian government Category:Military operations of the Syrian Civil War involving Tahrir al-Sham Category:June 2017 events in Syria Category:July 2017 events in Syria